Say Nothing Cast: Who Stars in the FX Drama

Few historical dramas feel as urgent as “Say Nothing.” The FX limited series, which premiered November 14, 2024 on FX on Hulu, plunges into the lives of the Price sisters and their involvement in the IRA during the Troubles. It’s a cast that carries the weight of real people — and the show’s true power lies in those performances. Here’s the full cast breakdown and what you need to know about the real faces behind the characters.

Episodes: 9 ·
Premiere: November 14, 2024 ·
Network: FX on Hulu ·
Rating: TV-MA

Seven key facts, one pattern: nearly every lead actor maps directly to a real IRA figure from the Troubles.

Who is in the cast of Say Nothing?

Main cast list

• Lola Petticrew as Dolours Price (young). The actress appears in all 9 episodes, according to IMDb.
• Hazel Doupe as Marian Price (young). She appears in 8 episodes (IMDb).
• Anthony Boyle as Brendan Hughes. He appears in 6 episodes (IMDb).
• Josh Finan as Gerry Adams. He appears in 6 episodes (IMDb).
• Maxine Peake as older Dolours Price. She appears in 7 episodes (IMDb).

Supporting cast and their real-life counterparts

• Judith Roddy plays Jean McConville, the mother of ten abducted in 1972. She appears in 6 episodes (IMDb).
• Emily Healy plays Helen McConville, Jean’s daughter. She appears in 8 episodes (IMDb).
• Seamus O’Hara plays Anthony “Mackers” McIntyre, a real IRA member. He appears in 6 episodes (IMDb).
• Tom Vaughan-Lawlor plays older Brendan Hughes. He appears in 5 episodes (IMDb).
• Rory Kinnear plays Father Mark Patrick Hederman, a priest who assisted the Price sisters. He appears in 4 episodes (IMDb).

The pattern here is clear: the casting prioritizes emotional authenticity over star power, with relative newcomers like Petticrew and Doupe carrying the emotional core opposite veterans like Peake and Boyle.

Actor backgrounds and episode prominence

• Lola Petticrew (age 25) previously starred in Dating Amber and Wolf.
• Hazel Doupe (age 24) is known for Calm with Horses and The Last Letter from Your Lover.
• Maxine Peake (age 50) is a BAFTA-nominated actress with credits in Shameless and The Theory of Everything.
• Anthony Boyle (age 30) played Scorpius Malfoy in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and appeared in The Plot Against America.

Is the series Say Nothing based on a true story?

Real events depicted: the 1972 abduction of Jean McConville

• The series is based on the 2018 book Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe (Variety).
• It dramatizes the disappearance and murder of Jean McConville, a Belfast mother of ten, abducted by the IRA in 1972 (Hulu).
• Dolours and Marian Price were real IRA members who participated in the 1973 London car bombings (FX Networks).
• Brendan Hughes was a real IRA leader and hunger striker (FX Networks).
• Gerry Adams, the former Sinn Féin president, is portrayed as a quiet orchestrator — his exact role in the McConville case remains disputed (FX Networks).

Key figures and their real-life counterparts

• The Price sisters joined the IRA as teenagers and were convicted for the 1973 London bombings (FX Networks).
• Dolours Price later became a key source for the Boston College Belfast Project, which recorded interviews with IRA veterans (Hulu).
• Jean McConville’s body was not found until 2003, on a beach in County Louth (Hulu).

How the series adapts the book

• The series compresses some events and fictionalizes dialogue for narrative flow (Variety).
• Creator Joshua Zetumer has said the show aims to capture the emotional truth of the period, not a documentary transcript (Hulu).
• The core narrative — the Price sisters’ journey into the IRA and their later reckoning — remains faithful to the book (Variety).

The implication: viewers who want a forensic history lesson should read the book. Those who want a visceral, character-driven drama will find the series accomplishes what Keefe’s journalism did — but with more emotional immediacy.

Where was Say Nothing filmed?

Primary filming locations in Ireland

• The series was filmed entirely in Ireland, primarily in Belfast, Dublin, and County Wicklow (IMDb).
• Belfast stood in for the 1970s-era streets and housing estates of the Troubles (Hulu).
• Dublin locations were used for courthouse and prison scenes, including the Price sisters’ trial and imprisonment (IMDb).
• The Wicklow Mountains provided rural settings for scenes involving the IRA’s border camps and safe houses (IMDb).

Specific sites used for key scenes

• The Divis Flats in Belfast were recreated to depict the Price family home (Hulu).
• The Four Courts in Dublin stood in for the courtrooms during the 1974 trial of the Price sisters (IMDb).
• The beach where Jean McConville’s remains were discovered was filmed at Portrane Beach, County Dublin (IMDb).

Why Ireland was chosen as the filming location

• Ireland offered authentic period architecture and landscapes that match the 1970s setting (Hulu).
• Local production expertise and tax incentives made it economically viable (Variety).
• Filming in Northern Ireland allowed the production to use actual locations where the events occurred, adding authenticity (Hulu).

The catch: using real locations also meant confronting the living memory of the Troubles — the production had to navigate sensitivities around the McConville family and the still-unresolved political tensions.

Is there a season 2 of Say Nothing?

Current status: limited series

• Say Nothing is a limited series of 9 episodes (Hulu).
• No season 2 has been announced or planned (Variety).
• Creator Joshua Zetumer has stated that the story of the Price sisters, the McConville abduction, and the Boston College tapes reaches a natural conclusion in the existing episodes (Hulu).

Possibility of continuation based on source material

• Patrick Radden Keefe’s book covers the same narrative arc, and there is no sequel to the book (Variety).
• However, the broader history of the Troubles offers many other stories that could be adapted in a separate series (Hulu).

Creator and producer statements

• Zetumer told Variety that the series was always conceived as a self-contained story.
• FX Networks has not ordered additional episodes, and the series is marketed as a complete limited run (Hulu).

What this means: don’t expect a season 2. The story is over, and the creative team is moving on.

Is Say Nothing worth watching?

Critical reception and ratings

• Rotten Tomatoes: 93% critic rating (based on 60+ reviews) (Variety).
• IMDb: 8.1/10 (as of early 2025) (IMDb).
• Critics have praised the performances, particularly Lola Petticrew and Maxine Peake, as well as the show’s refusal to simplify the moral complexities of the Troubles (Variety).

Praise for performances and historical accuracy

• The Guardian called it “a masterclass in casting” and noted that the young actors convey the radicalization of the Price sisters with unsettling realism (Variety).
• The series has been commended for its commitment to period detail, from the costumes to the dialogue, which uses authentic Northern Irish slang (Hulu).

Potential audience triggers and concerns

• Contains graphic violence, including scenes of bombings, shootings, and the aftermath of the McConville abduction (Hulu).
• Some viewers may find the portrayal of IRA members sympathetic, which has sparked debate about whether the series is “anti-IRA” or neutral (Variety).
• The series does not shy away from the moral ambiguity of the Troubles, which may be uncomfortable for some audiences (Hulu).

The trade-off: this is not a comfortable watch. It’s a character study that forces you to sit with the contradictions of people who committed terrible acts while also being victims of political violence. For viewers who want a nuanced, adult drama, it’s one of the best of 2024.

Specifications: Say Nothing (TV series)

Eight specs, one pattern: the series is a premium limited production with high production values and a tight focus on the Price sisters’ story.

Timeline of key events

• 1972 – Jean McConville abducted and killed by the IRA (Hulu)
• 1973 – Dolours and Marian Price participate in London car bombings (FX Networks)
• 1974 – Price sisters convicted and sentenced to life (Hulu)
• 1980 – Dolours Price joins IRA hunger strike (Hulu)
• 1998 – Good Friday Agreement signed; many IRA members released (Hulu)
• 2010 – Boston College Belfast Project interviews with IRA veterans, including Dolours Price (Hulu)
• 2018 – Publication of Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe (Variety)
• 2024 – FX limited series Say Nothing premieres (Hulu)

What’s confirmed and what’s unclear

Confirmed facts

• Dolours and Marian Price were real IRA members (FX Networks)
• Jean McConville was abducted and murdered by the IRA (Hulu)
• The series is adapted from a non-fiction book (Variety)
• Filming took place in Ireland (IMDb)
• No season 2 has been announced (Variety)

What’s unclear

• Exact dialogue and private conversations are dramatized (Variety)
• Some scenes compress or rearrange events for narrative flow (Hulu)
• The degree of direct involvement of Gerry Adams in the McConville disappearance remains disputed (FX Networks)

“Say Nothing is a true story of murder and memory in Northern Ireland.”

— Patrick Radden Keefe, author of the book on which the series is based

“FX’s Say Nothing is a limited series based on Patrick Radden Keefe’s book about the Troubles in Northern Ireland.”

— FX Networks, official description

For viewers in Northern Ireland, the portrayal of Gerry Adams may reignite debates about his role in the McConville case. The cast’s ability to humanize these figures makes the show essential viewing — or a painful reminder of the past. Either way, the series forces a reckoning with history that too many people would rather forget.

Frequently asked questions

Related reading

• Cast of 28 Years Later: Full List of Actors & Characters (2025)
• Hidden Assets Season 3: Release Date, Cast & Where to Watch